Chemical Forums

Specialty Chemistry Forums => Nuclear Chemistry and Radiochemistry Forum => Topic started by: gippgig on November 26, 2008, 03:06:42 AM

Title: Decay rate anomalies
Post by: gippgig on November 26, 2008, 03:06:42 AM

The current issue of Science News (Nov. 22) has a very interesting article about an apparent seasonal variation in radioactive decay rates seen in several experiments. This is probably some sort of artifact but you never know...

Title: Re: Decay rate anomalies
Post by: Dan1195 on November 27, 2008, 09:29:45 AM

Certainly not something to be dismissed out of hand. Decay rates of a few nuclides have been known to vary for other reasons. ⁷Be is a fairly well known example. The 0.0765 keV IT decaying isomer in ²³⁵U is another. Anything that decays by EC is obviously igoing to see decay rate changes if the atom is completely ionized.

This study is interesting because it deals with alpha and beta decay which occur entirely within the nucleus. 

Title: Re: Decay rate anomalies
Post by: Mitch on November 28, 2008, 01:53:56 AM

I call bulls&$#.